


Mercury

by AdikaOfMandalore



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Accidental Baby Yoda Acquisition, Adorable Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV), Baby Yoda - Freeform, Baby Yoda is named here, Canon-Typical Violence, Caretaker is a soft badass, Clan of Three, Co-Parenting, Din DjarinxReader, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Mando, Mando'a, Mandoxreader, Mutual Pining, Other, Pining, Plot without Porn but with loads of fluff and slow burn, Reader-Insert, Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Soft!Mando is the best Mando, Star Wars - Freeform, force sensitive, force sensitive reader, parenting, the mandalorian - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 08:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22847449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdikaOfMandalore/pseuds/AdikaOfMandalore
Summary: You are the Child's Force sensitive Caretaker and never expected your already unusual life to take such a turn after meeting a certain bounty hunter. And, furthermore, you never in a billion years expected to develope romantic feelings towards the Beskar clad warrior, former enemy and now co-parenting with you for the well-being of the kid.Little do you know, the same goes for Mando...
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Original Character(s), Din Djarin/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV) & Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character(s), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/You, The Mandalorian/Force Sensitive Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	Mercury

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you know, this is going to be a few chapters long.  
> Still don't know how many, though, since it started as a simple one shot and everything kind of take over. Oh well, things never go as planned, I guess. C'est la fucking vie.  
> The timeline's gonna be a little... weird, with loads of flashbacks and flashforwards and things like that. Gonna be fun.  
> The chapters are going to be in third person, mainly Mando's and Reader's Pov (hopefully, I won't screw up Mando's characterisation. Please, let me know if I do)
> 
> You can also find this on tumblr, under the same title (username still the same aka AdikaOfMandalore)

**_God knows, I am dissonance_ **

_**Waiting to be swiftly pulled into tune** _

**CHAPTER ONE. LAST DAY ON SORGAN**

«So – Cara Dune started once she took a sip of her cold, spicy spotchka. – What happens if you take that thing off? They come after you and kill you or something?»

The Mandalorian diverted his tender gaze from the dusty patio before his temporary hut and studied the woman at his side, slumped insolently on a bench against the muddy wall of the small building, her long and muscular legs splayed in front of her and dark eyes searching the slits of his helmet.

«No, I just can't wear it ever again» he explained, short and curt like whenever the topic of his overstrict Creed was brought up by a stranger. 'Except that Cara is no longer one', Mando had to remind himself, 'she's a friend'.

«Hold on. You could so easily settle down with the kid and Y/n, so why don't you just do it already? You are head over heels for that girl, I can tell from your look.»

«You can't even see my face» noted the bounty hunter, tilting his Beskar covered head towards the woman.

«No need. And, c'mon, Mando, you are clearly smitten. You've been gazing at her with dove-y eyes for the past ten minutes! _Can totally see why_ » she later added under her breath, a foxy grin crossing her hard features.

The girl in question was currently sitting cross-legged among a group of giggling children, two little girls carefully braiding her long, silky hair, while she moved swiftly a hand in front of her, a dry leaf dancing mid air, lifted by a breeze that wasn't there.

The four other kids stared in awe at her “magic”, the tiny green creature sitting on her lap in particular; unlike the others, it could sense the tendrils of invisible force connecting the foliage to her slender, slightly trembling, fingers.

That surreal and somewhat tender scene alone was enough to claim all of the attention, but Y/n's ethereal beauty was hard to dismiss. Bright-eyed and openly smiling down the young ones, a maroon, lengthy dress accentuating her body and strands of glossy hair framing ever so gently her face, rosy cheeks and all.

She had imperfections, of course, but Mando was all the same enraptured by her way too loud and raspy laugh and couldn't help but find cute her slightly crooked incisor.

«'S not like that» he lied blatantly, looking at his crossed ankles when he caught himself staring at Y/n once again.

«Is it? – Cara pressed, raising a brow in amusement, before sobering up. – What happened three weeks ago tells otherwise.»

«Will you drop it?» he finally snapped, but even the modulator could not hide completely the emotion filling his hoarse voice at the memory of her trembling body pressed flush against him, her chest heaving frantically and blood, _red_ , _violent_ , drenching both of their clothes.

«I'm just saying – Cara paused, released a heavy sigh. – You almost lost her, back there. You shouldn't waste any more time» she tried to reason eventually, pity washing over her strong lineaments.

«That's exactly why I'm keeping away. She's here because of me, both her and the kid. She nearly died because of me and I can't... travelling with me, it's too dangerous. For the both of them.»

«What are you trying to say?» she questioned cautiously, already knowing where his thoughts were leading him.

«The village's freed from any threats and Y/n and the little one are clearly welcome and happy, at ease. I'm leaving them here.»

«They're not gonna like this» commented the woman, setting down her cup of spotchka with maybe a little too much vigour, spilling the electric blue beverage all over the bench.

«What else am I supposed to do? They're put in constant danger, living my life... no, that's for the best.»

«You'll break their heart.»

«They'll be safe.»

«Dammit, Mando! You'll break your heart» she rectified, words harsh, but with the best of intentions. Cara Dune was by no mean a sappy, but the Mandalorian was a good friend and a remarkable ally and she owed him for giving her a purpose, for giving her part of her old life back.

«It doesn't matter» the man said, almost laconic. And the worst thing was... he truly believed it. It didn't matter to him if it was going to hurt; he didn't value his life as properly his, anyway.

«It should» insisted the former shock trooper.

«They are my priority. How I feel... it's not important.»

«Bullshit.»

« _Drop_ _it_.» And there was a new edge to his tone, something chilly and menacing that immediately shut her up.

The air between the two was now so tense you could actually cut it, but they both tried not to show it when Y/n joined them, the little womp rat – as Mando always affectionately addressed his former bounty now adoptive child – securely in her bare arms.

«I'll leave you to it» Cara dismissed herself, patting the younger woman on the shoulder on her way out. Y/n smiled kindly at her, before turning back to the man clothed in shiny Beskar, the smile on her slightly sweaty face growing even more.

Before she got to know him, _actually_ _know_ _him_ , she used to think the armour looked rather sinister and scary, _dehumanizing_. But a lot changed since then and she closed the distance within them without losing a beat, their shoes touching, chests brushing.

«Adika got a little something for you – she conspired in a loud whisper, earning a giggle from the kid in her arms, who took that as a clue to drop clumsily what was meant to be a necklace of some sort around the man's neck.

Mando tensed and, throat clenched with a sentiment he refused to name, caressed carefully the pearls of dried clay now adorning him, before tucking them under his dark cape. He wanted to thank the little creature, but found it nearly impossible to.

He was going to leave them without saying a word, he was going to abandon them likely in less than a day and the kid just gifted him with something so beautiful, his first present since his parents died and Y/n was looking at him with such expectation and affection and his resolution trembled...

«Thanks» he cracked, using the pad of his index finger to brush the peach fuzz of his green head, smiling sadly when it happily cooed. Then he remained silent, unmoving, dark eyes fixed on Y/n's face, drinking in her unique features and burning them in his memory.

He barely contained the impulse to rip off his helmet so that he could admire her without the reddish filter of his visor, so that _she_ could see him, truly see him. He forced it down and waited patiently for her to say something, anything.

«The kids wanna take a swim in one of the ponds. Wanna come?» Y/n proposed, almost reading his mind.

«Y/n, your stitches» Mando reminded her, voice strained and unbearably low even to his ears.

«I'll stay by the shores, don't worry. It'll be fine. It's just... I'd feel less lonely if you'd join me, that's all.»

«Sure» he agreed, before he could even think about stopping himself. 'Don't toy with her, you coward, not when you're about to leave.'

«Yeah? – for a split second, she couldn't hide her surprise, but then she genuinely smiled up at him and bounced happily the giggling child in her embrace. – Good!»

*

«Stay with me, Y/n, stay with me» Mando begged, rushing frantically towards their shared hut, knocking down a few baskets in the process. Perhaps one or two exhausted villagers as well. And, of course, not giving a fuck about the enemies corpses he stepped on.

«Omera!» he called loudly, voice modulator almost buzzing, still thrashing around with her unconscious form in his arms.

The young widow, who was assisting a limping Caben to the group of injured people collected inside the town dining hall, immediately looked up, only to see a flash of Beskar and blood shooting past.

«Oh, Maker» Omera whispered, sprinting after the frenzied Mandalorian once she gathered up the necessary for treating wounds – which was scarce, given the fact that they were krill farmers of a peaceful, modest planet.

When she arrived at the isolated hut, she had to pause in bewilderment upon seeing the warrior that just killed of half of the raiders and helped destroying that devious machine, placing Y/n on her cot with the utmost care and softness, almost afraid to further break her.

«Can you help her? – he muttered, teeth clenching and voice constrained. – I don't have anything with me, I don't-»

«Leave it to me, Mando» the other woman firmly said, finally reaching them and placing the medical supplies on a stool nearby. She placed a soothing hand on his shoulder, before rolling up the sleeves of her brown tunic.

«I-» he tried to say, but his tone cracked and he sank to his knees besides the girl's motionless body, using his cape to apply pressure on the deep gash gravely crossing her belly.

«She'll be fine. Can you tell me what happened?»

«No, I... no. I wasn't with her. It's not a blaster wound, though. She's bleeding too much and the hole...»

«She'll be fine. But I'll need your assistance. Surely you know how to medicate injuries?»

«Not on others.»

«It's alright, Mando. Help me remove her blouse, first, and then talk to her.»

«Talk to her?» he repeated, taken aback by her strange request.

«Trust me, it'll make a difference knowing she's not alone, having something to cling onto.»

And so he complied, murmuring sweet nothings in Basic and more, intimate confessions in Mando'a, a shaky gloved hand stroking her dampened hair, while begging the Maker and the stars above not to steal her from him and the kid.

*

Y/n sat down with a slight grimace, holding her abdomen and sending a reassuring smile in his direction when she caught him observing her.

She then patted the brownish grass by her side, inviting him to take a sit and relax while watching Adika happily playing with the other kids in the ponds, not a single worry in the world. Winta, Omera's sweet daughter, was swimming with it on her back, since it couldn't do it on its own.

Mando joined Y/n on the loamy, wet bank and sighed, content in seeing his kid being a kid, for once. 'And, when I'll be gone, every day will be like today.'

«I actually wasn't expecting you to tag along, but I'm glad you did» Y/n admitted after a while, eyes half-closed since the Beskar of his cuirass was violently reflecting the midday sun of Sorgan, like pure mercury or molten silver. With that angle, she could almost make out the sharp profile of his chin behind the T-visor.

«Of course.»

«You okay?»

«Yes» he murmured curtly, gloved hands folded on his lap and eyes looking straight ahead of him. He shouldn't have come with her by the ponds, shouldn't have seen the kid being so happy. That was his chance to leave them without noticing, and yet... here he was, sitting right beside her, lightly flustered by her vicinity and the tint of lavender on her skin. She was too close, but he couldn't get himself to move away.

'Memories, beautiful, haunting memories for when I'll be alone once again.'

«Gonna pretend that wasn't a lie.»

Silence. Y/n readjusted her body so as to face him directly, her bare knees now pressing against his Beskar-clad ones, and he tilted his head in a silent plead to say whatever was crossing her mind.

«It's not your fault, you know that, right? You keep blaming yourself for what happened to me, but it wasn't your fault. I should have been more careful.»

«I... I thought I'd lose you.»

«I'm not going anywhere, Mando – she promised with a lopsided smile. – You're pretty much stuck with me, I'm afraid.»

«I don't see it as a bad thing» he softly confessed before he could even restrain himself. So much for keeping a distance and leaving her and the kid behind.

At that, Y/n's expressive eyes turned into saucers, cheeks adorably reddening – the blush perfectly matching Mando's.

Everything else blurred, the farmers working and chatting in the village behind them; the children making a racket before them, splashing water and laughing loudly; _all_ _gone_. He somehow found his gloved index finger following the rosy path of embarrassment and... something else entirely, his thumb then moving to her lips.

A sigh rasped the voice modulator when she instinctively parted them, her humid, hot breath enveloping the worn out leather of his glove. He needed to back off, push away, something!

None of them could tell who leaned in first, but their faces – face and helmet, to be fair – were now mere inches away, one of her hands gently pressed against his inner elbow for balance – no Beskar here, just the rough fabric of his shirt and, under it, warm, tanned skin.

«What were you saying? While I was under... I heard you, your voice. You kept repeating this phrase, over and over again. What were you saying?» her voice was barely a whisper and he wouldn't have caught it if not for their extreme proximity.

«Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum» Mando repeated, just as softly, voice shattering with such sentiment that Y/n didn't actually need a translation.

The shot of a blaster firing not too far from the krill ponds broke the spell.


End file.
